Round-the-Clock Purple and Gold

Caught in the Web: Sharing Lakers links

January 7, 2010 | 10:25
am

Obviously the big news that has traveled around the NBA world involved the indefinite suspension of Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, who was reported along with teammate Javaris Crittenton to have drawn guns on each other in the team's locker room on Christmas Eve over a gambling debt dispute. On Tuesday, Arenas and his teammates participated in a pregame skit where they pretended to shoot one another, an episode The Times' Mark Heisler says prompted NBA Commissioner David Stern to hand down the punishment that will cost Arenas $197,500 per game.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson says he wasn't surprised with the decision, and reiterated Wednesday that he's talked to his team numerous times about this issue. Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said the same thing.

Some more Lakers links:

-- In "Pau Gasol Hamstring Watch Part 2" (movie title suggestions, anyone?), Gasol went through a pain-free workout that entailed strength exercises with team trainers.

-- Jackson will never have any interest in becoming a league general manager, saying, "I don't want to have to deal with agents; I don't want to have to lie."

-- Though it's been a month since Lakers guard Kobe Bryant suffered an avulsion fracture in his right index finger, his latest performance (33 points on 30% shooting against the Clips) shows that the injury is still bothering him.

-- Silver Screen and Roll reluctantly credits the Clippers for last night's win, the team's first in 10 games.

-- The Clips' victory was an accomplishment ESPN Los Angeles' Dave McMenamin says was possible because they didn't think about the recent struggles against the Lakers. Yahoo Sports' Kelly Dwyer also highlights the Clips' offense and the Lakers' lack thereof.

-- Tweet of the day: "Lakers' next game is an easy one, they can rebound with a victo...wait, what? Oh. They're at Portland, where they've lost 8 in a row. Ouch" -- Mike_Bresnahan (L.A. Times beat writer Mike Bresnahan).